How to Pray for a Husband with a Hard Heart

When two people first fall in love, how they both feel could prevent them from clearly seeing each other’s character flaws. This is very common among couples who are in the romantic phase of their relationship. They are blinded to their partner’s imperfections.

As they go along in marriage, that initial feeling of euphoria begins to wear off. Each partner will begin to see the true character of the other person. Sometimes, in this wake of reality, one may start to resent the other partner. Feelings of regret will set in. In some extreme cases a spouse’s heart may turn away from the other with no plausible way of returning to be that affectionate person they once knew. This estrangement could make a person’s heart to be hardened.

A hardened heart is basically a heart that is unmoved by things that other people would show compassion for. Anybody’s heart can be hardened; even the hearts of faithful Christians. The condition of a man’s heart is so important. Whatever we say or do starts from the heart. The wise King Solomon admonished us in Proverbs 4:23 when he said, “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” When a man’s heart is hardened, he lacks the ability to perceive or grasp ideas coming from God. He fails to follow God’s commands and the voice of the Holy Spirit. His heart is filled with arrogance and pride. He is easily offended, resentful and lacks the ability to forgive. He is indifferent to the word of God. In essence, a hardened heart is a form of rebellion toward God, especially in this case of a man with his wife. God’s word clearly states that a man should love his wife as Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it, (Ephesians 5:25). No matter the grievance, a man’s love for his wife must be unconditional, selfless and compassionate.

When a wife is faced with a husband whose heart has become hardened, the first thing to do is to look inwards. Find out what triggered the situation. Was it something you said or did, or how you acted? If you can detect the origin of the problem, employ a gentle approach to resolving it. Be quick to admit where you made a mistake and ask him for forgiveness. If you are sure the problem was not caused by you, remain calm. It is the time to employ your spiritual weapon which is prayer. While employing your spiritual weapon, it is important to also employ some physical weapons that could successfully fight a hardened heart. The most powerful physical weapons for fighting a hard heart are kindness and patience. You must be very patient with your husband. Always be quick to show him kindness at this point. Kindness has been known to melt even the hardest of hearts. In doing this, do not show your desperation to change him. He might perceive it as you nagging him or fussing. This may make him recoil deeper into his shell and shut you out. Try enforcing positive conversations with him and always choose the option of being a peacemaker should any conflict arise between the two of you.  Also, do not allow your hurt becloud your good sense of judgment. Study God’s word constantly to receive clarity of mind on the matter and wisdom to know the best approach to take in reversing your husband’s heart to love you once more.

As a wife, praying daily for your husband can be a powerful thing. Sometimes, it could be difficult forming a regular habit of prayer, especially when you have a tight work or business schedule. We know that life in itself is full of distractions and a husband who is not making you happy could discourage you from putting your ill feelings aside to pray for him from a place of pure love. You may even ask yourself if prayers hold the power to change a fully grown adult man. Do not ever for a second doubt that prayers can do the impossible and move mountains. The Bible says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man [or woman] availeth much,” (James 5:16). This proves that you are at tremendous advantage to apply your intense prayers over your husband with the guarantee of achieving an effective result. The Word of God also proves that God can work hand in hand with your prayer to change the heart of your husband. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water: He turns it wherever He wishes.”

 Also Read: Prayers for an Alcoholic Husband

There will be times when it seems like there is no change at all in the character of your husband, no matter how fervently you are praying over the situation. It could be that the changes happening in the life of your husband may not be what you were hoping for or it may not be what you consider important. When this happens, we may get upset, exasperated or frustrated. Do not give up. God’s process is not our process. He has His ways and they are mysterious.

12 Prayers to soften the heart of a Difficult Husband

1. Heavenly Father, I thank you this day for my life and the life of my husband (call his name). I ask for forgiveness for anything I have done either consciously or unconsciously to agitate him and ask o Lord, that you speak Your perfect peace into our marriage, in Jesus name, amen.
2. O Lord, I thank you for giving my husband a teachable heart. The heart of a king is in your hand o God and You turn it in whichever direction that You wish. Lord, please turn the heart of my husband back towards me again in Jesus mighty name, amen.
3. Father, you have not given my husband a heart of stone, but of flesh. You have the power beyond measure to soften his heart. Lord, make my husband flexible and obedient to Your will, even when he is not willing to change his opinions or habits in Jesus name, amen.
4. Create in my husband a new heart o Lord and renew a steadfast spirit within him. Teach him Your ways so that he will walk in Your will and Your truth. Give him the grace to overcome his distractions so that his heart would be undivided. Give him the strength to overcome any form of confusion on whether to tilt toward good or evil, in Jesus name, amen. (Psalm 51:10; Psalm 86:11)
5. A good man manifests good things out of the depths of his heart while an evil man manifests evil deeds out of the depths of his heart. Lord, I pray for my husband to be rooted firmly on the paths of goodness in the mighty name of Jesus. I decree in the name of Jesus that goodness and mercy shall follow him all the days of his life and he dwell in the peace and joy and kindness of God Almighty, amen. (Luke 6:45; Psalm 23:6).
6. Lord, your word says that You search the heart and examine the mind to reward a man according to his deeds. Search my husband’s heart o Lord. Test him to know his thoughts. Uproot anything in his ways that do not bring glory to your name, in Jesus name, amen. (Jeremiah 17:9-10).
7. O Lord, when the road gets hard in the process of testing him, do not let his heart be troubled. Give him the strength to pull through. Let him feel Your presence that you are standing by him all the way. Purify his heart and establish him by faith in Jesus mighty name, amen.
8. Convict his heart o Lord and give him the grace to grow more gentle, kind, affectionate and humble. Guide him in your everlasting path of success in Jesus mighty name, amen. (Psalm 139:23-24).
9. I pray for the innermost core of my husband’s heart, that it be constantly connected to the instructions of the Holy Ghost. O Lord, speak to my husband’s spirit and guide him in all truth and righteousness in Jesus mighty name, amen.
10. May those who do not believe in your name and in the power of your transformation see Your good works in the life of my husband. Let them be convinced when they see his acts of humble service and obedience to your Word. Let all men be drawn to you after seeing the changes in the life of my husband, in Jesus name, amen.
11. O Lord, please make my husband’s life, work and marriage a thing of honour and respect in the eyes of people that he may gain the confidence he so desires in Jesus mighty name amen.
12. Your word says that my husband is the leader of our home. I pray that his leadership skills be empowered by your wisdom, o Lord. I trust that You will lead his hand and heart in our relationship, in our home, in the church, in his work and in our community in Jesus mighty name, amen. (James 1:5).